Improving cardiovascular performance and decreasing perceived exertion with lactate supplement

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a supplement containing Calcium Lactate, Magnesium Lactate Dihydrate, and Zinc Oxide (Muscle Sentry LLS, Cleveland, OH) (MS) versus a placebo (PLA) on physiological performance and muscle recovery. Twelve male subjects (23.7 [+ or -] 2.1 yrs) underwent an exercise protocol while ingesting a single dosage of both MS and PLA for two separate trials. Experimental testing was used to investigate the differences in maximum aerobic capacity (V[O.sub.2] max), creatine kinase levels (CK), perceived exertion index (PEI), and blood flow (BF) during single dosage supplementation. Paired samples t-tests demonstrated a significant improvement in V[O.sub.2] and PEI following MS supplementation when compared to PLA ([P < 0.05). Analysis of variance demonstrated a main effect for time ([P < 0.05) as BF increased during the exercise protocol but did not differ between supplementation. CK was not significantly different between conditions ([P >0.05), however change scores demonstrated less muscle damage following MS ingestion. From these findings, it appears that MS supplementation resulted in increased performance and decreased the perceived difficulty of the exercise when compared to PLA. Key Words: Exercise, V[O.sub.2] max, PEI